Water on Tap: The Use of Virtual Reality as an Educational Tool

by Christine M. Byrne

Chairperson of the Supervisory committee:

Professor Thomas A. Furness III

Department of Industrial Engineering

Abstract

A study was conducted that explored Virtual Reality (VR) as an educational tool. High school students created water molecules in an immersive virtual environment. They were tested on their knowledge of atomic and molecular structure before and after their VR experience. These results were compared to the test results of students who experienced other educational media in learning the same topic. The other media differed from VR in terms of immersion and interactivity.

Interactivity was found to be significant, while immersion was found to be insignificant. Issues of training, world design, assessment, hardware resolution, and student population were suggested as possible reasons for immersion's lack of significance in this study.